European Parliament Presidential Debate

European Parliament Presidential Debate

Event Sections

European Parliament President Martin Schulz’s departure is a game changer for EU institutional dynamics. The fight for the Parliament’s highest-profile job is now on, and each political group has designated their candidates. In the fray: 4 Italians, 2 Belgians and one Brit. With Europe mired in Brexit, a migration crisis, austerity measures and incoming national elections, MEPs must decide which candidate has the vision, political will and agility to overcome rising Euroskepticism, to guide Europeans through these considerable challenges. One week before the January 17 plenary vote decides the next President, POLITICO’s European Parliament Presidential debate will give you the opportunity to hear from the contenders on how they view the role of President, their top priorities for the Presidency and how they plan to tackle Europe’s most pressing issues.

Join the conversation on Twitter using #EPpresident and submit your questions to the candidates at events@politico.eu.

Speakers

Gianni Pittella, MEP, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Group

Laurenţiu Rebega, MEP, Europe of Nations and Freedom Group

Helga Stevens, MEP (ECR, Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie)

Helga Stevens is a Belgian MEP for the Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie, part of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group. She was elected to the European Parliament in 2014 and is the first female deaf Member of the European Parliament. She serves as vice-president of the ECR group and co-chair of the European Parliament Disability Intergroup. She is also a member of the Civil Liberties, Home Affairs and Justice Committee (LIBE), the Employment and Social Affairs Committee (EMPL), and is co-rapporteur for the Special Committee on Terrorism (TERR). Previously, Stevens held a double political mandate, being a member of the Flemish Parliament and of the Belgian Senate. Prior to that, she served on the Ghent City Council. From 2005 to 2007, she was president of the European Union of the Deaf (EUD). In 1993, Stevens was the first deaf person to be conferred with a law degree in Belgium from the Catholic University of Leuven. She also holds an LL.M from the University of California in Berkeley.

Antonio Tajani, MEP, European People’s Party Group

Guy Verhofstadt, MEP, Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

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